Benefits and basic types of Stretching
Many of us know the importance of exercise, but what about stretching? Stretching helps keep muscles flexible and strong. While stretching once won’t immediately make you perfectly flexible, some of the benefits of a regular stretching routine are:
- Decreased risk of injury
- Improved range of motion
- Improved circulation
- Released tension
Before starting a stretching routine it may be helpful to identify your personal goals with stretching, in order to find the right stretching technique for you. There are many different stretching techniques for different goals of stretching. Some very basic types of stretching are dynamic, active, and static.
Dynamic stretching is a type of stretching that gets the body moving, these stretch’s aren’t held for any length of time. An example of dynamic stretching would be moving into a lunge and rotating the torso.
Active Stretching is a type of stretching in which the muscle is stretched while the opposite muscle groups holds the stretch for 5-10 seconds, this is the type of stretching that is best for increasing flexibility. An example of active stretching is lying the back with one leg in the air to stretch the hamstring, while the quads hold the leg in place. Note: an active stretch like this may need extra support, such as a stretching strap, to effectively hold the stretch.
Lastly, static stretching is a stretch that holds the muscle in that position for 20-30 seconds. Studies have not shown any benefit to holding a static stretch longer than 30 seconds. This type of stretching is best after the body has exercised.
Source:
Balachandran, Dr. Anoop. “Types of Stretching: Static, Active, Dynamic, PNF & Functional Stretching.” Exercise Biology, 25 Nov. 2008, www.exercisebiology.com/index.php/site/articles/types_of_stretching_static_active_dynamic_pnf_functional_stretching.
